Lands with Wilderness Characteristics

Shevawn Von Tobel on

The Bureau of Land Management is releasing Resource Management Plans across the state. These land-use decision-making documents will guide how public lands in Nevada are managed for the next couple of decades, including the last vestiges of our wild tracts of land. With so many current threats to our public lands it is important that people who love to recreate outside, love wildlife, and appreciate Nevada's rich history get involved in this process to ensure lands with wilderness characteristics are properly managed and protected.

The BLM needs to hear from you to help safeguard our wild landscapes.

Bureau of Land Management lands are important to westerners and all Americans. These native sagebrush habitats, soaring peaks, and Joshua tree fields support both our economic well being and our western way of life. They are the “lonely lands” where our families hunt, camp, and seek the West’s open spaces. Healthy public lands also keep our water and air clean and support rare and valued wildlife. But change is coming, as energy development and a growing population’s hunger for natural resources puts more and more pressure on these lands. There is room for development on BLM lands but development needs to be balanced with being good stewards of our natural heritage. The future is being set today. These lands belong to all of us and your voice counts. Speak up today to tell the Bureau of Land Management to identify and protect our most wild and natural BLM lands.

What Are Lands with Wilderness Characteristics?

Throughout the country, there are still wild places largely untouched by development. These are prime places for simple outdoor experiences, such as hiking and camping. The BLM calls these areas “lands with wilderness characteristics” (LWC's), because they offer solitude for wildlife and people alike. Acknowledging and protecting lands with wilderness characteristics is a key component of multiple use and sustained yield management, and, importantly, keeps the human-nature relationship intertwined with our approach to public lands policy.

The Bureau of Land Management has a unique toolset for managing natural, roadless places that support a more primitive form of recreation. Current guidance for lands with wilderness characteristics requires the agency to look for these lands and consider protecting them for their inherent ecological and recreation values. We work to make sure the BLM does not overlook lands with wilderness characteristics or miss opportunities to protect these landscapes: